He has advocated self-driving cars on the basis that they will improve safety as they remove the element of human error. He also believes the greater precision possible with autonomous cars could reduce gridlock by allowing more and narrower lanes on busy roads.

Monday’s licence approval in Nevada comes after test drives along “freeways, state highways and neighbourhoods” in Carson City and along the Las Vegas Strip, according to the department.

A committee from the DMV met with Google to review the company’s safety plans, training and accident reporting protocols.

The department said while the internet search giant was the first company to file an application to test an autonomous driving system, other car makers have also “indicated their desire to test and develop autonomous technology in Nevada in the future.”

The test cars will be equipped with red licence plates with an infinity symbol. If the vehicles are ever marketed to the public, the plates will be green and contain the same infinity symbol.

“I felt using the infinity symbol was the best way to represent the ‘car of the future,'” said Bruce Breslow, director of the Nevada DMV.